Tweet Bashing 'Heroes' Offering Shelter to Abortion Seekers Sparks Debate

A social media activist has gone viral for cautioning abortion seekers to beware of internet users who offer to open their homes in abortion-friendly states. In the wake of Roe v. Wade's reversal, nationwide protests and outrage have spurred some abortion supporters to offer their resources and even lodging to women in states with abortion bans. A TikTok trend has seen users opening their doors to the soundtrack of The Chainsmokers' song "Paris," with lyrics promising, "If we go down then we go down together." Some TikTokers use code phrases such as "camping" or "knitting" to indicate their support for abortion seekers. "'Camping' is now illegal in Missouri, but I get 42mpg, can work remotely and will take you anywhere you need to go to 'camp' and stay with you during recovery," said one woman in her video.

Another said, "I live 4 hours from the Montana border. If you need to learn to knit, you can come here to learn. I will take care of you, feed you and give you hugs while you learn." But other social media users have warned against taking strangers up on these overtures. Kiki Djarin observed the posts from her home in Washington state. "I am just an everyday person who saw a trend I knew put people like me, BIPOC people with uteruses, at risk," she told Newsweek. In a tweet with over 100,000 likes, she advised, "If you're in a state that just banned abortion, DO NOT reach out to these people who are offering to let folks stay at their place if they need an abortion." While allowing that some of the offers were well-intentioned, Djarin said if they do not come from an established abortion fund or abortion network, "you cannot trust them." "These people have just gone on social media and publicly announced they are a safe haven for abortion seekers," Djarin went on. "Anti-abortion people are now watching them. Law-enforcement will learn their names." Data privacy concerns have mounted since the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, with some women deleting their period tracking apps and other personal medical data. Djarin added more forcefully, "These individuals are putting their hero complex before your safety." Additionally, she warned, members of an abortion network have been properly vetted and trained to aid abortion seekers "safely and discreetly." Meanwhile, strangers online might "pretend to help you for the purpose of trying to catch you."

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Takeaways

While some Twitter users were thankful for Djarin's counsel, others said her critique of civilians who sought to aid vulnerable women was too harsh and could alienate supporters. "While you raise some valid points, MOST people posting are doing so to their personal networks," commented Holly West Kapsalis. "I have many online friends in red states and I'm happy to help if I can. Some people are more comfortable knowing they can reach out to someone they know." "I think calling it a 'hero complex' and claiming people are just doing it for praise is a bit extreme," said another commenter. "I said this exact thing and I meant it, I would gladly welcome anyone in need of help into my home." Another person added, "There [are] better ways to word this without alienating people who are actually trying to help [...] And a lot of the people posting such messages were actual physicians." But Djarin told Newsweek that she believes impact matters more than intent. "Even if you are doing something with the best intentions, if it is going to result in harm, you must pause and reassess," she said. Some abortion networks have issued a similar message to Djarin's. The Planned Parenthood office in Toronto shared an Instagram post titled "What Not to Do in Response to the Overturning of Roe v Wade" on Tuesday. The statement advised:

• "DON'T create new networks."
• "DON'T encourage anyone to contact strangers for aid in accessing abortions."
• "DON'T try to be a hero."

Instead, the group encouraged people to support experienced, existing organizations and to focus on collective action. Update 6/30/22, 9:25 a.m. ET: This story was updated with comment from Djarin.